Trustees approved a contract extension Tuesday with President Jack Becherer that ends his employment July 1, 2014.

Becherer has expanded RVC’s community profile since joining the college in 2004. Academic partnerships with area high schools are growing, allowing students to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and an associate degree at RVC.

Building expansions and renovations during his tenure have significantly enhanced the North Mulford Road campus, and upward of $60 million in campus improvements will begin this fall.

Becherer declined to say much about his reasons for agreeing to stay at RVC only through next June. His previous contract doesn’t expire until Oct. 31, although he feels good about what’s ahead.

“I feel fortunate to be the president of a community college, especially to be working in a community that desperately needs us and needs the services we provide,” he said. “It was a privilege when I came 8½ years ago and it will be hard to leave.”

Board Chairman Michael Dunn Jr. said RVC is in a far better place than when Becherer arrived.

Trustee Kathy Kelley cast the “no” in the 4-1 vote — Mary Tuite and Stephanie Raach were absent — on Becherer’s contract, explaining later that she opposes his “level of compensation.” She praised Becherer for expanding academic programs, especially vocational programs in partnership with the business community and other higher education providers.

Becherer’s annual salary will remain at $179,071, although he’ll be eligible for a merit increase in October, when the board reviews his performance. At no time will his salary result in an increase of more than 6 percent in creditable earnings, so as not to penalize his eventual retirement benefits under the State University Retirement System.

Faculty union President George Hernandez said he wasn’t surprised by the short term of Becherer’s new contract. He credits the college leader with improving RVC’s reputation in the community.

Relations among trustees, administrators and the faculty union were strained a year ago during faculty contract talks. Becherer entertained a job offer at an Idaho community college but ultimately pulled his name from consideration.

“There’s quantifiable evidence that faculty didn’t have the issues with Jack that they had with” his predecessor, Hernandez said. “Is everybody happy with Jack? No. But I think the college is in a better position than it was when he came here.”

Becherer said he’s accustomed to working long hours, and there will be many campus improvement projects and potential academic expansions that will keep him busy.

“Most of us who decided in the 1960s to teach are mission-driven people,” he said. “But we did these types of things, we got into the community college movement because we thought it was important and I’ve never looked back. And to come to Rockford and to probably end my academic career here — I couldn’t have picked a better place. I couldn’t be in a better place.”